The present invention relates generally to automotive vehicles, and more particularly, to an apparatus for mounting components to the vehicle frame.
Typically, automotive vehicles include a frame, also referred to as a chassis, which provides the primary structural support for the vehicle. The major components of the vehicle, such as the engine, transmission, and operator station, are then mounted directly to the frame.
In the situation of mounting the engine to the frame, several considerations are particularly important in designing the mounting apparatus. First, the engine mounts usually include elastomer isolators to absorb vibrations that originate from the engine and vibrations that are caused by the vehicle traveling over the ground. The engine mounts also need to position the engine accurately in relation to the frame and the other vehicle components in order to maximize the operating life of the vehicle""s drive system. In addition, the engine mounts should be simple and fast to assemble so that labor costs to manufacture the vehicle can be minimized.
Engine mounts that allow the engine to be quickly secured to the frame are especially important in modem manufacturing processes. In the typical manufacturing process, the major components of the vehicle are subassembled away from each other at different locations. Commonly, the manufacturer of the vehicle will purchase each of the major components from different suppliers. The manufacturer then mounts each of the components to the vehicle frame at a primary vehicle assembly line that is usually precisely designed to maximize the quantity of the vehicles that can be produced and the speed of their production. Thus, the assembly line is designed to move quickly through a number of successive assembly stations, with each operator relying on the previous operators to timely finish their work. However, the area around the primary assembly line often becomes congested with assembly equipment, vehicle components, and assembly operators; and as a result, the speed of the assembly line is limited.
Current engine mounts are not well-suited for the speed required in these modem manufacturing processes. Traditionally, the engine is mounted to the frame by lifting the engine on a hoist above the primary assembly line and the vehicle frame. The engine is then lowered down into the frame until the engine is near its final installation position. While the engine is still supported by the hoist, an assembly operator must then crawl under the vehicle frame to position and install the mounting hardware. Once the mounting hardware is installed, the engine is completely lowered onto the engine mounts; and the operator, who, is still underneath the frame, secures the engine to the frame by installing nuts and washers upward into them hardware.
However, this assembly procedure is time-consuming and difficult. As a result, the primary assembly line must move slower to provide extra time for the operator working under the frame. The current engine mounts also make it difficult to accurately position the engine in relation to the frame and the other components, which can reduce the operating life of the engine and other components.
One problem that is especially troublesome is imprecise positioning of the isolators, which can reduce the operating life and the effectiveness of the isolators. As a result, the operating life of the engine can be shortened and vehicle drivers can become dissatisfied when extra engine vibrations are transmitted to the frame. Typically, the isolators include a top isolator and bottom isolator at each corner of the engine. In order to maximize the life and effectiveness of the isolators, each of these isolators must be accurately aligned in both a side-to-side position and a fore-aft position. However, when an isolator is misaligned from its proper position, the forces applied to the isolator from the engine and the frame become concentrated on a particular area of the isolator instead of across the entire surface of the isolator. This causes the area where the concentrated force is applied to wear out sooner than the design life of the isolator. In addition, the expected damping characteristics of the isolator change when only part of the isolator is loaded.
Another problem with current engine mounts is that they require the radiator to be installed after the engine is mounted to the frame. The radiator is typically attached to the front end of the engine. Therefore, once the radiator is secured to the engine, access to the front engine mounts is obstructed. This disadvantage prevents the manufacturer from testing the engine for defects, with the radiator installed before the engine is installed in the frame. As a result, some defects in the engine and the radiator are not discovered until the vehicle is fully assembled, which makes repair work much more expensive.
Although these problems are particularly notable in regards to mounting the engine to the frame, similar problems also occur when mounting other major components to the frame.
Accordingly, a mount is provided for quickly and easily securing a component to a vehicle frame. The mount also provides accurate positioning of the component in relation to the frame and the other major components. In addition, the invention allows a bottom and top isolator to be precisely positioned away from the primary assembly line. The primary assembly line is also able to run faster with the improved mount because an assembly operator is no longer required to crawl under the frame during installation of the component at the primary assembly line.
A receiver and a stop support are provided, with the receiver being attached to a cross member and the stop support being attached to the frame. The receiver is a slot with an open bottom end, and the stop support extends inward towards the component. Therefore, the stop support supports the weight of the component when the component is lowered into the frame and the receiver abuts the stop support. Vertically oriented frame mounting surfaces are also attached to the cross support, and corresponding engine mounting surfaces are attached to the frame. Thus, the cross support is secured to the frame with screws that extend horizontally through the frame, the engine mounting surfaces, and the frame mounting surfaces.